Results for - Low income men qualify for Medi-cal/Medicaid for first time

1,514 voters participated in this survey

1. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) low income, specifically those being released from being incarcerated, have access to healthcare. Recent studies show that if continuous medical care, including pharmaceuticals is continuous recidivism will be reduced. I find it outrageous that the prison and jail systems would treat inmates, then upon their release they have no way to continue treatment. Bottom line it introduces disease back into the community and puts their life at risk. How do you feel about this?

Agree, continuous medical and pharmacy treatment should be mandatory, once it has started

37%

553 votes

Not sure

26%

391 votes

No treatment should be started in the first place if you are incarcerated

12%

184 votes

N/A

25%

386 votes

2. Here are the statistics from one study: A 2007 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that in the two weeks after release the mortality rate among former prisoners was 13 times higher than in the general public, with the leading cause of death in this period being drug overdose. Do you think the numbers would more or less be the same around the country?

Yes

19%

284 votes

Not sure

36%

552 votes

No, might be dependent on the health status and geographics

18%

274 votes

N/A

27%

404 votes

3. Federal law prohibits those serving time from receiving Medicaid, so when someone enters prison or jail they lose their benefits but would receive treatment from the corrections system. But Barry says some states and counties have made it possible to simply suspend rather than terminate benefits while serving time. This means that upon release, Medicaid is automatically reinstated. Otherwise, it could take months before a new enrollment would go into effect. What do think the best way to go is, considering the health of the inmates and the cost of healthcare as a burden on society?

Inmates should be able to keep medi-cal/medicaid whether in or out of jail/prison

17%

256 votes

Suspend medical coverage while incarcerated, let the system pay, then reinstate the health coverage upon release

19%

282 votes

Terminate health coverage upon incarceration, then have to reapply once released from jail/prison

16%

248 votes

Not sure

23%

342 votes

N/A

25%

386 votes

4. Upon being incarcerated, IDs are produced if not present. Not having proper ID, when processed in jail, is one of the barriers to having access to healthcare and coverage. Should healthcare enrollment be included when IDs are processed in jail?

Yes

27%

411 votes

No

14%

211 votes

Undecided

30%

461 votes

Not Applicable

28%

431 votes

5. Do you know of anyone who has been released from jail/prison, who lost their coverage, and returned to jail because of something illegal that was linked to their health status and lack of healthcare coverage and access?